Practice device for golfers



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,897

J. V. MATTESON, JR

PRACTICE DEVICE FOR GOLFERS Filed Aug. 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 'L A TTORNEY` Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,897 v J. v. MATTESON. JR

PRACTICE DEVICE FOR GoLFEns Filed Aug. 22, 1927 2 sheets-sheenv 2 l Ger-Lerator A TTORNE Y. 5

titl

Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

JEssE van-cn lmvr'rnson, Jn.,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

rnac'rron navos ron Gom-Ens.

Application med August 22. 1927. Serial, No. 814,503.

This invention relates to a practice device for golfers, and it has for its object to provide a sim le and eilicient apparatus b means of wf ich the'effect of va stroke wit a golf club ma be registered both as to its force, expresse in 'terms of distance, and as to its torsional action upon the ball, expressed in terms of hook or slice, as the case may be.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be'setforth in the detailed description which follows:

In the `Yacc'ompan ing drawin Figure 1 isa si e viewof t e device.

Figure 2 a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 a partial yertical sectional view.

Figure 4 an enlarged plan view of a portion of the mechanism.

Figure 5 a detailed sectional view through the golf ball and associated parts. l

Figure 6 `is a vertical sectional view upon line 6-6 of Fig. 4, illustrating a brake, hereinafter described, and l Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view upon line 7-7 of Figure 3. Y

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing5 In thedrawings 5 designates a fixed ase frame, and 6 designates the side members' of a vertically adjustable frame. It is apparent that many ways may be devised for vertically adjusting the frame 6 with respect to the frame 5. As one such means I have indicated rack bars 7, carried by frame 6 which project downwardly and are en ged with pinions 8 upon .transverse sha s 9, disposed ad'acent the opposite ends of the frame 5. orms 10 upon a longitudinally extending shaft 11 meshes with worm wheels 12 ul on the shafts 9. Turning movement may e imparted to the shaft 11,'by aingerpiece 13, which is accessible from the exterior of the frame v5. It is clear that b turning shaft 11, rotation will be imparte to the shaft 9, and that the pinions 8 will act upon the rack bars 7 to elevate the frame 6.

The side members of the frame 6 v are spanned and tied together by a plate 14, having an opening 15 formed therein. A shank' 16 is supported upon laterally extending trunnions 17 which are mounted in ball v hearings 18. A shaft 19 ismounted for rotation in the shank 16. At its Outer end the shaft 19 carries a golf ball 20. This hall is provided with a sleeve 21'to ada t it to fit upon the shaft 19 and is held in its place by a set screw 22. Thus the ball is rendered re-placeable when it becomes damaged `under the practice of the users. A tough rubber sleeve 23 encircles the shank 16 to recelve the impact of scoop strokes. The Inner end of the shaft 19 enters and forms the rotary member of a generator 24. This generator and a counter-weight 25 constitute elements of such Weight that when the device is at rest they shank 16 will stand vertlcally with the ball 20 at its top. .An anti-friction thrust bearing 26 is employed upon the shaft 19. -The current conducting wires 27 and v28. lead from generator 24 through one of the trunm'ons 17 to insulated distri utor rings 29 and 3.0 upon said trunn ion.l Brushes 31 and 32 contact with said rings and are connected by Wires 33 and 34- to a registering instrument 35 of the ammeter t e, havin a pointer 36, the movement o which in icates the degree of hook or slice imparted to the-ball by the impact of a golf club thereon, the direction of movement of the needle being determined by the direction of rotation of the ball around the axis constituted by the shaft 19.

.The opposite trunnion 17 enters and forms the rotative member of a generator 37. The rate of speed at which the ball is caused to travel around the exis constituted by the trunnions is indicated upon e suitable Yammeter-like electrical recording instrument 38. The movement of the i of this instrument indicatesv the die Iyllztirds, representative of the force of the To bring the rotating hall quickiv to -rest so that no time may be lost in ma ring another stroke a band brake 39 is provided uponone of the trunnions. A linlt is connected at one end to the band1 ci' said brake, and at its other end to a hell crank lever 41, having a head 42. By pressing upon said head `with the golf club the l Will be -a plied and the structure instantly rought to rest.

In use the frame is covered by a matting 't3 which has an opening 44 therein, of such site as to permit of the free movement of the hall and associated parts.

While, for convenience of illustration., I have shown the registering andv recording instruments es being mounted close to the frame, it is clear that the Wires leading thereto may be conducted any suitable point, and if the practico device is disposed i in a room these instruments may be placed on the wall of the room. Since recording ammeters are well` known in the art, it is sufficient to say that I -contemplate using any suitable type o f ammeter, either one which will merely register the stroke, or one which will actually record the stroke so that a ermanent record may be made.

The device of the present invention, which I term a technic tee is of great value to golfers in practice work, because it eliminates all of the uncertainty of ordinary practice drives, and accurately registers both the ardage of the drive and whether the drive had any hook or slice in it, and if so the degree of the twist. The ball being selfteeing relieves the user of the necessityof stooping to replace an element in position after each drive.

Devices of this sort will be found of great advantage to country clubs, and will prove very po ular upon ocean vessels. It will be noted t at there are no gears or parts to et out of order, because the recording is one magnetiealllly, and these generators will require practica y no attention.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

' Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a golf ball mounted forrotat-ion about its own axis, and for bodily travel about an axis at right angles to its own axis meters for registering the movement of said ball with respect to each of said axes and means operatively connecting said ball with said meters.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a golf ball mounted for rotation about its own axis, and mounted for bodily travel about an axis at right angles to its own axis, an electric enerator travelling with the ball about the ast named axis, and connected to the ball to indicate the movement of the ball about its own axis, a second electric generator, the movement of the mov.

electrical registering instruments for indicating the current generated by said gciierators.

4. A structure, as recited in claim 3, in combination with a brake upon one o'f said trunnions.

5. A structure, as recited in claim 3, in combination with a brake for retarding the movement of the shank.-

6. A structure, as recited in claim 3, in combination with means for count'erweighting the shank to such an extent as to cause the shank to stand erect with the ball at tlie'top when the structure is at rest.

7. A structure, as recited in claim 3, in combination with means for bodily elevating the structure named.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a supporting frame, anti-friction bearings thereon, trunnions mounted in lsaid bearings, a shank extending at right angles to said trunnions and carried thereb a shaft mounted for rotation in said shanli, a golf ball removably mountedupon the outer end of the shaft an electrical generator carried by and bodil movable with the inner portion ofthe shan r, a generator supported upon the frame, the movable element of which is connected with one of said trunnions, a brake u on one of said trunnions, and an electrica recording instrument for registering current generated by said generators. y

9. A structure, as recited in r claim 8, wherein conductors leading from the first named generator are conducted through one of said trunnions to distributing rings, and wherein the `conductors to one of said recording instruments are connected to brushes which bear upon said rings.

l0. A- device of the character described, comprising a shank, lateral trunnions upon which said shank is mounted for rotation, a golf ball at the outer end of the shank, an electric generator associated with one of said trunnions, a movable element of which turns with said trunnions, and a meter connected to said generator for indicating the current generated under the rotative action of said movable element of the generator.

11. A device of the character described, comprising a shank, trunnions for mounting the same for rotation, a golf ball at the outer end of the shank, a shaft mounted for rotation in the shank, by which said golf ball is carried, an electric generator at the -inner end of the shank, the movable element of which is actuated by said shaft, an electric meter, and connections between said generator and meter through which the euri'ent generated by the rotation of said shaft will be indicated upon said meter.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

JESSE`VANCE MATTESON, Jn. 

